


a safe place under the stars

by maleccain



Category: Shadowhunters
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-15
Updated: 2019-06-15
Packaged: 2020-05-12 13:46:11
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,211
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19230328
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/maleccain/pseuds/maleccain
Summary: Simon’s song hits home with Alec and he decides to take action on his feelings.





	a safe place under the stars

**Author's Note:**

> hi all! Ok so I’m so sorry this has taken so long getting to y’all, Ive struggled with my mental health recently and I’ve been been so inspired and unmotivated...but it’s finally here! The next update of my malec social media au on twitter (@liqhtwoodbcne) is here and I hope it’s as good as y’all wished for!  
> PSA: the song Simon is singing in this is “Nine” by Sleeping At Last. It’s such a beautiful song and I thought it fit perfectly, so go check it out!  
> \- hannah <3

Silence fell over the crowd as Simon took to the stage. Magnus and Alec were both next to each other in the crowd, yet with some distance between them that seemed to stretch out for miles; creating a deep trench of awkwardness. Whenever Magnus looked away, Alec’s eyes immediately found their way to Magnus. They always did, somehow. The way the pub’s blue, purple and pink lights shone across Magnus’ face, making his whole face glow with something that gave the sun a good run for its money, touched Alec in ways he couldn’t quite explain. Slowly, his eyes trailed over the rest of Magnus, taking in his exact placement and body language. “Alexander?” a voice whispered, yet it sounded louder because of the anticipated crowd’s silence. Alec whipped his head up to find himself looking into Magnus’ questioning eyes. “Do I have something on my face? Or on my jacket?” Magnus asked, immediately starting to run his hands over his features, looking for imperfections. “No!” Alec answered, too quickly. “No, not at all! It’s - you look perfect!” Magnus smiled in answer, but still with a small question apparent through the set of his eyebrows.

Clearing his throat quietly, Alec turned to the small stage at the back of the pub where Simon was stepping up to the microphone to sing. _Dammit_ , Alec cursed to himself. _He’s never caught me staring before...so why this time?_ He shook his head, deciding to focus on his best friends performance. “Hello everyone and thank you all for coming!” Simon’s voice rang out throughout the pub. “This first song is dedicated to my beautiful girlfriend, Maia. Enjoy!” The crowd broke into a big round of applause and cheering, with many smiles on many people’s faces. But the brightest smile of all, to Alec, was Magnus’ and it always would be.

Softly, Simon started singing. His voice had a calming effect on people, Alec found as he felt his muscles instinctively relaxing. _Who am I to say what any of this means?_ Alec’s throat bobbed and he found it hard to swallow all of a sudden. _I have been sleepwalkin’ since I was fourteen. Now, as I write my song, i retrace my steps._ As an attempt to not alert Magnus with too much movement, Alec slowly wiped his sweaty palms down the side of his jeans and took some mental deep breaths. _Honestly, it’s easier to let myself forget._ Alec knew that one all too well. _Still I check my vital signs._ Subconsciously, as if his mind understood the depth of these words, Alec put two fingers over his wrist to check his pulse, making sure to be subtle. An echoing thud rippled through Alec’s body, again and again, in time with his heartbeat. _Choked up, I realise...I’ve been less than half myself, for more than half my life._ With darting eyes, Alec looked around the crowd to see if they were as flustered as he was. He was concerned when he found them all smiling up at the stage, some with tears in their eyes. He shook his head, trying to get rid of the feeling that this song was written for _him_. He was scared that it spoke everything he’d ever felt, almost as if his privacy had been taken advantage of. _Wake up, fall in love again._ Alec’s eyes involuntarily glanced over at Magnus, only to find Magnus staring straight back. They both looked away quicker than they’d looked towards the other but Magnus took a small step towards Alec, not big enough for anyone to notice though. Apart from Alec. _Wage war on gravity. There’s so much worth fighting for, you’ll see._ Alec came to the realisation that, perhaps, Magnus was worth fighting for. _Another domino falls either way._ Either way, things would continue to go on in life...so why shouldn’t Alec have Magnus by his side through them? _It looks like empathy to understand all sides, but I’m just trying to find myself through someone else’s eyes._ Alec has always denied himself who he was...but maybe through someone else’s eyes he was worth everything? _How do I forgive myself for losing so much time?_ Now that was a question Alec didn’t don’t know the answer to. Yet maybe with the right people’s help, he could. He could learn to forgive himself for all those decisions never made, for all those experiences never had, for all those feelings never truly explored. Maybe he could be himself.

Right there and then, Alec knew what he had to do, and the beautiful man standing next to him in the crowd was the reason he knew. Grabbing Magnus by the hand gently, Alec pulled him slightly closer. Magnus froze, looking up at Alec with confusion in his big brown eyes. The thrill of the moment sent chills thrumming through Alec’s veins and his senses heightened. He could feel the clamminess of Magnus’ palm against his, see the tense set of Magnus’ arms, hear the faster breaths that escaped Magnus’ mouth. Alec’s breath hitched as Magnus gulped, and he too had to swallow his nerves. Licking his lips, Alec slowly leant forward so that his lips rested near Magnus’ ear. Now it was Magnus’ turn for his breath to hitch. Almost teasingly, Alec whispered “Follow me.” Hand in hand, Alec led Magnus through the dense crowd, all the while making a mental note to apologise to Simon later for leaving halfway through his first song, and without any complaint, Magnus followed. Perhaps Alec was walking to his future, or perhaps he was walking to his downfall.

•••••••••••••••••

Magnus’ breathy laugh echoed through the forest. “Where are we going?” Magnus asked. “Are you taking me back to your cabin? And why now? Alexander it’s late and we just left Simon’s gig that, might I remind you, _he_ invited _us_ to. Don’t you think that’s a bit ru-“

“Ask now, answers later,” Alec replied through a smile, still holding tight onto Magnus’ hand the whole way. A sigh from Magnus and a mumbled “ok” was all Alec got in return but he could tell that Magnus wasn’t mad.

They arrived at the log cabin soon after midnight, when the moon’s white glow shone across the roof of it; making the whole thing seem like something from the heavens.

“Wow,” a breathless whisper came from Magnus, and Alec looked across at him to see his mouth open and his eyes glistening. Maybe it was just the moonlight, but Alec thought Magnus’ brown eyes glowed like a cats would in the night, making them all the more beautiful.

“Follow me,” Alec said again. Slowly, Alec led Magnus through the cabin’s many rooms to the back room. It was dark and cosy, but not cramped or claustrophobic. “Alexander what are we doing in a cupboard at the back of a cabin in the middle of a forest?”

This earned a sudden laugh from Alec as he said “This isn’t a cupboard Magnus.” Letting go of Magnus’ hand momentarily, he walked over to the wall and flicked a switch. Gradually, the room began to brighten and Alec walked back over to Magnus, whispering “Look up.” As they both did, Magnus let out a small gasp. The roof was opening up to show a glass window above them, looking up to the stars. “It’s beautiful, Alexander,” Magnus muttered quietly, so as not to break the sense of peace that had fallen over them. Alec hummed in reply and looked back to Magnus, taking in his beauty that shone brighter than any star above them. Magnus had sensed Alec’s eyes on him, so slowly tilted his head down to make eye contact with him. Time seemed to stop. At that moment it was only Magnus and Alec. Alec and Magnus. And that’s all they ever wanted it to be.

Cautiously, Alec took a step forward, and seeing how Magnus seemed to hold his breath at the action, he smiled and took another. When Alec’s face was a few inches away from Magnus’, Magnus said quietly, “This place is magical. What is it?”

Silence. Then, “It’s always been my safe place. The place where I can go and forget myself among the stars. I think Izzy, Simon and the others know that there’s something back here that is my place, but they don’t quite know what it is.”

“Then why did you show me it?”

Another pause, as if Alec was nervous to say whatever he was building up to say. But then he said so quietly that it was almost lost in the air, yet also confidently - as if it was something he knew for certain, “Because you’ve become my safe place too.”

Magnus’ lips parted in surprise and his eyelids fluttered, blinking quickly to try and process the information. “Alexander-“ Magnus broke off, not knowing how to express how much that meant to him, and looked up into Alec’s eyes. One look from Magnus sent Alec’s heart into a fit. He wondered, then, if it was possible for hearts to beat so hard that they burst out of your chest. I guess he’d find out now.

Ever so slightly, Magnus leaned in closer towards Alec. Alec’s palms became sweaty and, looking down, he realised he was subconsciously clenching and unclenching his right fist. Magnus’ eyes followed Alec’s and stopped to look at the nervous twitch in his hand. Magnus reached out his hand and covered Alec’s twitching one with his own slightly shaking one, his fingers closing over the fist like a safety blanket. After a few seconds, Alec’s hand became still, which made his heart beat even faster as he knew that that was purely Magnus’ impact. With a firm grip on Alec’s fist and a pounding heart, Magnus tugged on Alec’s hand to close the gap between them that seemed to stretch out for far too much. Alec put one tentative hand on Magnus’ waist as a reflex, and let out a shaky breath. He looked up into Magnus’ eyes again and felt his heart leap. Magnus bit down on his bottom lip, and that was all the encouragement Alec needed. Gradually, he bent his neck down so that his eyes were level with Magnus’, and leant forward so that the tips of their noses touched. With one last quick look into Magnus’ sparkling eyes, Alec closed the distance between them and let his lips hover over Magnus’ for a millisecond, then he closed his eyes and gently brushed his lips against Magnus’.

All at once, the warmth spread throughout Alec’s body, sending shivers down his spine with the intensity of it. Magnus’ lips fit with Alec’s like a jigsaw puzzle would, as if they were only made to kiss each other. They moulded together perfectly to form one gentle kiss. Their hearts were fireworks, exploding more vibrant and higher into the sky with every new angle of the others’ lips discovered. The sweet taste of Magnus’ lips, like that of a peach, made Alec smile into the kiss and he breathed in Magnus’ scent; taking it all in. He had this sort of earthy/nature smell about him, similar to sandalwood, which made Alec smile even deeper. He loved the woods; it was always so calm and the trees didn’t seem to have a care in the world- that’s why he’d chosen to make the cabin there. As their noses were pressed against each other’s cheeks, Alec felt Magnus breathe deeply into him, seemingly doing exactly what he was doing with Magnus. Exploring him. Not sexually, no not yet definitely, but emotionally and slightly physically-with the scents and the kissing habits and the tastes. With one hand, Magnus still held onto Alec’s, the other was now cupped around the nape of Alec’s neck, his thumb running circles at the base of the others messy, black hair.

After what seemed like hours, but was only actually around four seconds, they pulled apart and immediately Alec felt like he was drowning in sensory overload. _I can’t believe I just did that._ But the feeling that was the clearest was physical emptiness. He no longer had Magnus’ lips on his and he didn’t feel whole. Despite everything, Alec let out a breathy laugh and opened his eyes to find another beautiful pair looking back at him. Without knowing it, Alec’s shoulders relaxed, and he slightly slouched, because after all, Magnus was there. With Alec. It was all going to be okay. He wasn’t alone.

“Why are you laughing?” Magnus breathed, with a slightly raspy voice but a wide smile on his face too.

Alec shook his head, at a loss, then replied “I just- I’ve been waiting to do that for ages but nothing could have ever prepared me for that just now.”

“That bad, huh?” Magnus teased.

“No! Not at all- uh- quite the opposite actually,” Alec said hurriedly.

“I was just messing with you,” Magnus whispered as he pressed their foreheads together.

Slowly, a warm smile crept onto Alec’s face and with that, they closed their eyes again; content to just stand there in the other’s company, bodies pressed together in comfort, taking this brand new experience all in under the bright white stars of New York.


End file.
